


Strawberries in Summertime

by Funfactskiddos1705



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Autistic Spencer Reid, Love, M/M, Schizophrenic Spencer Reid, Self-Harm, neurodivergent Spencer Reid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:34:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28496889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Funfactskiddos1705/pseuds/Funfactskiddos1705
Summary: Case based off of "White Winter Hymnal"The team goes to West Virgina, when the body of a young boy is found, his blood pooled into the snow around him, with a note. The catcher? He was last seen with a group of 13-15 year olds. When held in custody, they seem unbothered by their friends death.Also, this is a Moried story. Morgan and Reid have been married and living together for a while. This case takes both of them by surprise, and they comfort each other.P.S~ I try to write my fanfics as episodes, so sorry if it's not that great 😂Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CM characters, only my OCs.
Relationships: Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	1. Prologue

December 5th, 2012  
10:28 A.M  
Clearview, West Virginia  
The news forecast blared, loud and obnoxious, in the living room, the screen flickering, the reflection through the window. "The snow... 1-3 inches... nightfall... 18 degrees... feels like 3...".  
The group of children, all in swaddled in their heavy, bubble coats, started to line up at the door, one by one. "Ma!" The first of the pack shouted, a red scarf around their throat, correction, all of them had a red scarf around their necks. They looked like tiny little marshmellon people!  
"We're going to go out for a walk, I love you!" As the leader said that, the door clicked open and the group scurried out. They walked to a local hiking trial, it was in the middle of the forest, which was dense. They piled in one by one, toe to toe.  
The scarves were itchy, never the less, everyone kept them on. As the walked, murmurs were shared, nothing of importance. Most of it was just complaints about the weather. The snow slushed as they walked. The snow wasn't melting necessarily, it was just slick under the children's boots.  
To an on goer, they all looked the same. Like a tiny army. To which no one had a clue of where they were going. They just walked on.  
The murmurs were accompanied by large, puppy eyes looking at the trees. The snow covered the limbs, leaving beautiful scenery. Squirrels, although probably should have been hibernating, scampered up and down the trees, looking for whatever food they could find.  
Meanwhile, Michael, the end of the pack, began complaining more and more. Finally, taking off the red scarf and holding it in his hand. He couldn't take the sweat on his neck anymore. He was the only one who didn't look uniform anymore, but he continued to walk.  
"What are you b-" the teen in front of him stopped talking. Staring at the man's emptied neck. "Where is your scarf," he growled. Michael raised his hands in protest, showing the scarf in hand. "Put.It.On." The other spat out, pronouncing every syllable like a threat.  
The person in front of the teen, turned, large grey eyes darkened. A smile rested on her face, as she locked eyes with the other teens. Gesturing them to the bare skinned boy.   
Michael, not knowing what was going on, started to laugh nervously, as the leader started to walk up to him. He was pushed down into the snow. Making an imprint. "So you... you just take off your scarf?" The leader hissed.  
Michael, obviously confused, never seeing his friends like this, just nodded. "I got hot," he shrugged. He held out the scarf to the other, "see! I still have it."  
The others, eerily nodded in unison, advancing on the young man. The leader pulled a pocket knife out of their pocket. Michael was stunned. He couldn't scream, for when he got the breath to, a blade was shoved into his abdomen. Losing all his breath in the blow, he just started wide eyed. The snow around him turning red from the blood loss. The knife was then twisted, creating a bigger wound, and then snatched out of the chest cavity. It made a sucking noise as blood oozed out, creating a pool around the boy.  
His eyes grew heavy, as he welcomed sleep. The blood was pouring at a steady pace. He would be dead soon, and he knew it. We welcomed it. He felt something brush against him. It was a napkin, that was buried in the boys hands.  
The pack turned, leaving him to suffer alone, and walked through the forrest. Michael picked up the note in a last attempt to salvage life. It read: And Michael, you would fall. In a bright red crayon, it was scribbled. The words almost illegible, Michael didn't even know who wrote it, as his eyes began to become unseeing, and he lost consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

Beep beep be-  
A strong hand came crashing down on the alarm clock, the beeping halted, the wires started to sizzle, but another noise came from the silence.   
"That's the third alarm you broke since we got married, to mention the ones when we were dating," Spencer, his hair a mess, as he snuggle against the other, older man, whined. It was true, Derek Morgan, or as I should say Derek Morgan-Reid, had a tendency to break alarm clocks in the morning. Either they had weak alarm clocks, or that man just had a hatred for them. Either way, it couldn't be avoided that the couple needed a new alarm clock.   
"Shhh, pretty boy," the older man cooed, his hand running through the moped mess that was his husbands hair. It was soft, tangled none the less, as he ran his fingers through it. The younger man was curled on his chest.   
"What am I going to do with you?" He teased, his hand rubbed against tone muscle. He smirked, never quite getting used to the feeling under his lithe fingers.   
Truth be told, Derek and Spencer had been married for two years, but they had known each other for 6 had been dating for, excluding the marriage, 4.   
A sigh fell from open lips, the a smirk. "I guess you could just.m, I don't know, love me?" Derek teased, his nose rubbing up against Spencer's. Today was their off day. They really didn't have anything planned, well besides not seeing killers, profiling and busting down doors. Spencer thought he might start a new series of books that were in French, and probably end around diner. Derek had planned a run, but against the cold and Spencer yelling at him for leaving the house midwinter, to run when he could just stay inside and go to the gym, he decided not to. He knew he could go to the gym, and maybe even drag his husband along, but he just loved bickering with him. That's one of the things that brought them together.   
"Alright pretty boy," The hand fell from hair and onto a sharp jawline, "I'm going to make you some coffee, and you," he patted the jaw line, "should get the shower running for us-" His instructions were cut short by a buzzing on the stand next to Spencer.   
"If that is who I think it is," Spencer groaned. Both of them knew it was work, but neither of them dare say it out loud, in case it may jinx it.   
"Mmm," the younger, still half asleep man, answered the phone. "Reid,"   
"Hey! I know it's our day off," the phone buzzed, Spencer looked at the clock, 6 o'clock. Who was preppy at 6 o'clock, even awake enough to call. "But the big boss man wanted me to let you know that you and chocolate thunder are needed here. We have a case! He wants to see you in two hours to brief." A sigh came and he handed Derek the phone.   
"Hello?" Derek questioned, wondering if it was one of the houses he was renovating, the marketers loved to call Spencer instead of him.  
"Chocolate thunder!" The voice on the other end boomed. Derek let out a laugh and opened his mouth to speak, but again was cut off by, "Did my big genius hand the phone off!" She snorted, a little annoyed but happy to be talking to him.   
"Baby girl, why didn't you call my phone?" He questioned, his voice calm and subtle, unlike Spencer's which was groggy . He rubbed his eye as he sat up, his back chilling from the air, and not being up against Derek anymore.   
"I tried! It kept going to voicemail!" She persisted. Derek looked, his eyes catching the cell across the room, turned 100% off.   
"Anyway," the older man started, and he seen his husband shake, he wrapped a hand around his stomach and pulled him close. "Can you do me a favor?"   
"Anything, stud. What can I do you for," she laughed and then said, "okay, well I didn't mean it like that,"   
"I need you to order me a new alarm clock," at this, both Spencer and Penelope chuckled.   
"Another broke?" She questioned. "Okay, but this is the last time!" With a beep she hung up, and it was only Spencer and Derek again.   
"As much as I could love to stay and cuddle," Reid began, his hand finding Derek's and kissing his ring. " we have to get ready for work. By the way, did you pick up sugar?"   
His long foot hung out from the covers as he kissed Derek's cheek. "Did you know, Americans purchased more bedside alarm clocks last year than televisions. Over 22 million, including clock radios," Spencer began, raising up, stretching when his feet hit the carpeted floor. "And I'm guessing we've bought about 1/3 of those,"   
"It never stops amazing me how you know these things. Haha," he mocked, "pretty boys got jokes, but to answer you, no I forgot, I thought you had some." He reached over and slapped Spencer's ass.   
"Haha funny," the boy genius mimicked, his eyes widened, "Derek Morgan-Reid!" Spencer huffed. He was nothing without his coffee, which included at least, a cup of sugar, on a good day.   
"We'll get some as we head out," the older man stood up, kissing his forehead.   
————————————————————  
The ride to work was silent, not the silent that made you think that there was something wrong, that kind of peaceful morning silent. Spencer kept rubbing his eyes and moaning. Finally, after about 30 failed attempts to calm his irrated eyes, he took out his contact case, placing his contacts back into case, and reaching for his bulky glasses.   
"So you finally decided to wear old faithful," Derek cooed, his eyes leaving the road for a second, his hand fining his husbands and resting gently on top.   
"Shhh, it's just for today, you know... allergies,"   
Before the pair new it they were pulling in front of a coffee shop that they frequented quite often, even though neither of them would admit to it. Spencer went there more than his husband, everyone there knowing his order, and on the occasion, the newest employees would hit on the young doctor. This had always made Derek over protective of him. You never know how people truly feel, he always said, but his husband chucked it up to pure territorial behavior.   
Derek got out of his truck first, shut off the ignition, and went around the back to open Spencer's door. The other was collecting everything into his bag still.   
"You're always going to open the door for me aren't you?" He smirked, taking the dark hand and walked into the building.   
The shop was quaint, quiet and often not that busy. Today though, it seemed like they were behind. "Probably someone knew," Derek hissed. Spencer rolled his eyes and laughed leaning into him. His head resting on Derek's broad chest.   
As the line began to move, he began to itch. He was trying to think if he had taken his medication this morning, but to be honest, he was in such a rush and his eyes were filling his senses he didn't remember. "Baby," he whispered, now not touching the other man and itching his skin like he was on fire. "D-did I take my medicine this morning?"   
He knew skipping a dose wouldn't make or break him, but it wouldn't help either. He was taking medication to help with him neurodivergent behaviors, he was boarder-line schizophrenic and was on the spectrum. Taking the medication helped him not be so touch sensitive, not get so many panic attacks and sensory over loads, but Derek being around helped as well.   
"Pretty boy, I have no idea, I thought I saw you take them. Are you okay, do you want to sit this one out?" He asked putting a hand on the others shoulder. A quick shake to the head, and they were walking more to the front of the line.   
"No, no, no, I'll be fine. I have some in my go-bag and I can t-take them on the jet." Derek had noticed the stutter. He placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.   
They walked to the front of the line, next to order. The barista looked to be college aged, long brunette hair, and green eyes, she worked fast, but she also looked panic. Spencer pitied her, he knew how rough people could be to essential workers.   
"Hello," the woman greeted, looking up and blushing. "Well hello there stud," she but her lip looking at Derek. Derek glanced over at Spencer who was fidgeting with his sleeves and was not in the mood for any of this today.   
"Uh, hi, can I have a large black coffee and a large coffee with five packets of sugar please?" Derek said fishing in his back pocket to get out his wallet.   
"That'll be 9.56, " the woman calmly said, then leaned over the register and whispered, "so is it take your son to work day?"   
"Oh I wish," Derek chuckled, clasping his husband on the back,getting Spencer's attention from whatever he was thinking about. "I'm afraid we don't allow that where I work."   
"Name for the-" she was quickly cut off by the owner in the back on the shop coming to greet Spencer. Spencer and the owner talk about everything from Russian literature to his day at work. His son had went to Cal-Tech with him, but sadly passed when 9/11 happened. "Spencer my boy!" The owner called, causing Spencer to smiled. "These are good people Sam." He said in a thick Bronx accident, "Spencer and his husband's drinks are always on the house, they are always keeping us in business!" He said taking Derek's hand in his and Spencer's. "H-husband?" She stuttered, looking at the rings only now.


	3. Lithium

To the untrained eye, Spencer Walter Reid, looked fine, well as fine as a gangly man with a six shooter on his hip, but he was anything but fine. His glasses sat, tilted on the bridge of his nose, yet the usually anal doctor did not care to fix this. He was too lost in thought staring at some wall that was adjacent to him. Derek ended up doing his dirty work, fixing his glasses, and booping his nose. A hand found it's way to his hair, and before Derek knew it, he was tousling Spencer's mopped hair. A curl fell down in front of his eyes, he didn't seem to notice, he just blushed and watched as Derek pulled the hair behind his ear. 

Before anyone could say anything, especially Emily who was giving Derek a quizzical look from across the bull pen, JJ was motioning them to join her in the briefing room. Penelope, in all of her cheerful and brightness, stood in front of the briefing screen wearing an orange maxi-dress, a complimentary bluejeaned jacket, bulbus orange earrings and blue stilettoes with orange polka dots. As the team began to file in, JJ handed Spencer a paper copy of the case file. He began to scan it to no avail, his mind far from work. 

His body was on fire. No that was not the right description. His body felt like it was being liked by flames, certain parts heating up more than others. Damn did he itch. Whenever he got hot he itched. His skin did not feel like his own, he felt like he was in some sort of mascots costume. His tie, which was too tight at the movement for his liking, felt like it was suffocating him. Every time that he would breath, the tie would rub up on his collar bone, making him itch more. Being professional, he kept the tie on. If he was home he would have taken it off in a heartbeat though. Who was he kidding, if he was home, alone from people, he would've yanked the tie off, throwing it and itched his collar until it bleed. His mind shifted to the itching in his arms. The itching reminded him of the needles. It took the same route through his body as the dilaudid did, staring in the veins in the middle of his arms and running its course through his body, leaving it's nasty scars all over him. He lost control closing his eyes and indulging in controlling the itching. Sweat lined his brow, but that could have just been from the heat that he was feeling. 

"The case has been sent to your tablets, well all but-" Penelope's usually bright smile faltered when she noticed the man that she loved like a younger brother. His eyes were closed, as he frantically itched the inside of his arm as if there was something inside of his skin that he need to get out. "Boy Genius. Are you okay?" She croaked. This caught the attention of the whole team who was now staring at the young doctor, who seemed either not to notice or not to care, as he continued his activity. 

Derek knew it was his turn to speak. Being his husband, he was suppose to take care of Spencer. Spencer would hate himself if he was taken off of a case from something that he could not control. Derek swallowed the lump in his throat, watching his lover in this agitated state, it always pained him to see Spencer in pain. He had to work fast, even worse, he had to be convincing in a room full of profilers. "Uh, yeah he's fine. He's not good with mosquito bites." Derek half chuckled, half coughed. He held his breath waiting for Hotch or even JJ to yell at him for lying through his teeth, but nothing came. Rossi mumbled something about getting afterbite for the kid. The only people who seemed to notice was Penelope and Emily, who looked at each other and then back to him. 

"Alright, before we begin, I would like to point out that this is not a normal case by any means," Penelope began, pressing the button of her tiny remote and showing a young, teenage, boy. His body was surrounded by snow, he looked to be in a forest somewhere. What seemed odd, was that there was freshly fallen show, but the blood had still soaked the freshly fallen snow, making it look like strawberries in summertime. There were no foot prints around the body when the photo when it was taken, which sent a chill down JJ spine. 

"Someone knew that they were going to get snow," JJ commented more to herself than to anyone. Everyone hated children cases, it always reminded them that there was pure evil out there but, out of everyone, they always seemed to effect JJ more than anyone else. The group nodded in agreement. 

"This is Michael Grasse, he was a 13 year old boy that went to Kingston Middle School, he was a straight A student and had many friends. Speaking of friends, his mother said that she had last saw Michael when he said that he was going to these woods with his friends. His mother and his friends are in custody at the Clearview Police Department in West Virginia, we have a statement from the mother and she is a very unlikely suspect, but they are still trying to talk to the children-" 

"Trying? Did they lawyer up?" Rossi asked, his face scrunched up in confusion. 

"No, no, sir. They are still trying to get coherent sentences out of the children. All they are receiving is "scarf". Which all the children were found 3 miles away from the body with red scarves around their necks. Though none seem to understand what this note means," 

Penelope pressed the button again and the slide showed a note that was shoved into Michael's hand. "And Michael, you will fall," Emily read. "Odd that red crayon is used, maybe it symbolizes blood somehow?" she mused. Hoping that maybe that could be a lead. 

"Red.. Red scarves?" Spencer asked, not opening his eyes, still scratching profusely. "Red scarves were worn in the French Revolution and the beginning of Communist Russia, children and teenagers would wear them calling themselves 'pioneers', anyone who took it off was labeled a traitor and was instantly killed." Murmurs up roared around the tabled, since this was the only link that they had so far, but it was very unlikely. They were youth, and this was very uncommon knowledge, but just incase, they but it on the back burner. 

"This is the only body as of now but-" 

"More can always appear. Wheels up in thirty." Hotch interrupted. Collecting his things and walking out of the small room. The team began to file out as well. Some began to refill coffee from a Styrofoam. While others, Hotch and JJ, called their families. Spencer stood up and left, Derek trailing behind him, but the two women left in the room had other plans. They let Spencer walk through the door and hopped that he wouldn't miss his husband too much. They grabbed Derek's arm, pulling him back in, closing the door and locking it behind him . 

From the briefing room window, Derek could see Spencer riffling through his bag looking for his prescriptions. Spencer looked around the bull pen, making sure that no one was looking, before he popped the lids of the bottles and clutched onto the tiny tables. He shoved the bottle back into his bag and rummaged through the third draw in his desk, where he kept everything, for a water bottle. He opened it and chugged its residence. He loosened his tie and soft moan escaped his lips. To be honest, no one who didn't need to know about his medication knew, besides Emily since she took him to the doctor when Derek couldn't and that was few and far between, and Penelope who ordered his prescriptions because he hated to talk to people on the phone. 

He hated his prescriptions so much that he would try to wain himself off of them. Sometimes it was weeks at a time. Sometimes it was months. It would go until his mental health declined so bad that he was institutionalized. He could fake being well for so long until Derek noticed and would try to force the pills back into his system, but at that point, Spencer was too gone and would throw them up. He thought that the medication was making him weaker. He had never had it happen this quick, he wasn't even waning this time. Maybe it was just this time, or maybe this was Spencer. 

"What the fuck was that?" Emily hissed, her grip on Derek's arm increased. "Uh, uh, he's not good with mosquito bites," She tried to mock him but her anger was coming out. "That pathetic. Really, Derek. In a room full of profilers you thought of that. He could've been taken off of this case. That would've killed him-" Her eyes were a fiery abbess, anything being said, Derek knew that hell couldn't be scarier than Emily Fucking Prentis. 

"You don't think I fucking thought of that? I fucking love him, Emily! i wouldn't do anything to hurt him. I know that would've hurt him, that's why I spoke up. I didn't see you taking his side, you just fucking sat there." Derek grunted, arms in the air. He was pissed to say the least. To come at him after everything. Everything. "Who was it the last time Emily who got him out of there? It was me and Penelope, because you were, oh yeah, you were "dead" !" 

"How long? How long , Derek?" Emily shook with rage. Her face was bright red, and she was clenching her first. 

"Der..." Penelope said, she was sitting at the table, "fuck these shoes are hurting my feet." She whined, kicking them off. "You promised. You promised you'd tell us if he began to wain again after last time." She began to tear up, looking at him with doe eyes. 

He looked at the two woman the he trusted with his life, with Spencer, then back out the window. Spencer sat at his desk rubbing his temples mumbling to himself. Derek closed his eyes and said, "He wasn't... he wasn't waning. He forgot to... we were in such a rush this morning. I just watch him... he took them... its been one day." He gasped out between sobs. He was fully exposed, letting himself go in front of these women. He stumbled and Emily grabbed for him. 

"He just turned 25." Derek moaned. A tear sliding down his check. They all knew that 25 was a scary age for the couple. 25 was the first time schizophrenics breaks happen. They would never tell Spencer, but they had all been to training in case he had an episode. 

For a moment it was quiet, as the three of them watched the genius through the small window. Wondering what he would be mumbling as he shook. It scared them so much to think that they might be losing the battle against his brilliant mind. 

"Go to him," Penelope whispered, as if she was in a daze. He nodded and walked out. Making his way to the man that he loved. 

"Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium," Spencer chuckled to himself, " just like the pills. Lithium. Who the fuck thought of that. Oh look at me, Ill give you this because your slipping. Lithium. It even sounds weird." Mumbling he kept the palm of his hands on his temples. 

Derek stood listening. He rarely heard Spencer cuss, but even then, just speaking like this, slurred, was scary. He placed a hand on him and Spencer flinched and looked up at him. 

"Who do you think made Lithium pills?" he whispered looking around the bull pen frantic. 

"I don't know pretty boy but-" 

"Alright, everyone to the tar pile!" JJ called. Looking at Spencer whispering to Derek and whipping around frantically.


	4. Love isn’t memory

The jet ride from Quantico to Clearview was at most 2 hours, all spent with Spencer's fidgeting self laying his head on Derek's shoulder as Derek ran a hand through his curls. The boy hadn't been talkative much since they left the bull pen, but that didn't ease the rampaging thoughts that were smashing into Derek's brain like a sledgehammer. He wished he could have just talked him into sitting this case out until he knew what exactly was wrong, or even, drove him the whopping 5 hours so he could have a private conversation with him. They didn't need the two of them to set up at the local police station, they would fine, but he never had the chance to open his mouth, and for that he regretted it. 

Worries, that he knew were foolish filled his mind. What if Spencer start to wain again and not tell anyone? Derek knew this couldn't be true, they told each other everything, and if he was trying to hid it, why did he ask him if he took them? He sighed knowing that he shouldn't be profiling his fiancé at the minute, but was it so damn hard not to. He just turned 25, what if this is his first break, and were sending him into even more of a stressful situation. 

He was startled from his thoughts by a gentle hand on his bicep, just know realizing that he had closed his eyes and let his head rest on the cushioned back of the seat. His eyes shot open, scarred that his thoughts had lawd him asleep, which happened a lot more than you might imagine on the jet, and that they had already landed, but it was just his Pretty Boy. His face was scrunched up, as he curled more into the nape of Derek's neck, kissing it slightly as the faintest smile fell upon his lips. He murmured something that Derek didn't quite catch, as he wrapped his arm tighter around the boy. 

Emily was sitting next to JJ, like per usual, gossiping about some new intern on the floor that was flirting with Rossi, as if anyone would be caught dead being is fourth wife. She excused herself after JJ cooed about how Spencer looked so cute curled up with Derek. He shook his head grinning, he had to admit his angel was adorable curled up, but this might be the most peaceful they get to be with this odd case. 

Grabbing a blanket, to be honest the jet was jam packed with blankets and snacks in cupboards, the team got sick and tired of Derek bitching about that he was hungry on long flight and Spencer, as well as the girls, were usually cold, Emily draped it across the sleeping man. 

"Hasn't been sleeping well, aye?" She smiled, running her hand down the knitted purple and green sweater vest that Fran had given her adopted and "favorite" son for Christmas last year. She seemed startled when the man being in mention began to murmur more and tense from her touch, as quickly as she had, she took her hand back. 

"Actually, he hasn't had a nightmare lately." Derek whispered, and then retorted, with a sad hint in his eyes. "Or, at least one that he woke me up for. Princess, tell me if I'm wrong for this, because I really want to be, but do you think that he could've been hiding that he wasn't taking his medication again? Like, yeah, I get it, we live together. But I don't see his actions 24/7.." He started trail off, looking at the man that he married in October, he knew he would love a Halloween wedding. "What if... what if we lost the battle with his.." He couldn't finish, getting choked up, and not wanting to draw even more attention to himself. He decided to just rest his wet eyes, waiting for whatever the blunt Emily would say. 

"First of all, I think we all thought of that, but, and I mean really big but, have you ever known Spencer, Spencer the man who literally only let you touch him for most of the first year that he worked here, the man who turned to you when shit got deep, would hide something like this from you? You're his rock Morgan. Stop, I can tell that you blame yourself, hell we all do! Were suppose to be the best of the best profilers and if we can't even..." He knew that she was going to say save Reid from whatever hell his mind was putting him through, but she paused, her words never wavered until then, her eyes looking down as if it all hit her in one, cannon ball of a blow to the chest. "Did... did Spencer ever tell you what his mom used to tell him?" She sighed, after trying to find the words. 

Derek stilled for a moment and the world seemed to stop moving. He couldn't, no more like wouldn't, believe that she was quoting what Reid had said to him countless times. Spencer had always been terrified of forgetting Derek like his mother used to with him. He didn't want to become another statistic. Derek just nodded slowly, feeling the man underneath him begin to shift and whine. 

"Ugh... Der-ek," He grumbled, latching on to the other like a parasite. "Em?" he asked, when his eyes were fully opened, he began to rub them. Grumbling about a headache that he had. "Where are we?" He asked, looking around the jet, stiffening. 

"Somewhere between Quantico and Clearview West Virginia," Emily smiled, placing a hand on his back, only to get him to tense again. His face showing that he was in pain, so she moved it.

"Didn't sleep wel-" Derek began but Spencer cut him off muttering. 

"It burns again. When did we get to work? I remember going to get coffee and then, everything's fuzzy. Did I drink too much again?" He looked up at the two of them, rubbing the back of his neck.


	5. Crazy Equals Genuis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really long sorry.. please don’t hate me. 🥺

_5 months earlier Clooney sat, well that wasn't the word, more like dominated, his gigantic head on Reid's thigh as Reid was reading, out loud, to him, petting his short fur, as slobber began to drip.  
_

_Clooney was a pit bull, and by god, was he a big baby, and apparently, he was a sucker for stories being read aloud to him. Reid would do this every so often when he got a new book, him and Clooney would curl up together on the couch, while Derek was at the gym, or out with Garcia doing whatever they did, Reid always thought that Garcia was trying to spruce up the house, since they always came back with more decorations. "But now, sire,—lat me se—what I shal seyn? A ha! by God, I have my tale ageyn. Whan that my fourthe housbonde was on beere, I weep algate, and made_ _sory cheere, As wyves mooten, for it is usage, And with my coverchief covered my visage; But for that I was purveyed of a make, I wepte but smal, and that I undertake! To chirche was myn housbonde born a morwe With neighebores, that for hym maden sorwe, And Jankyn, oure clerk, was oon of tho. As help me God, whan that I saugh hym go," The words came naturally from The Canterbury Tales .  
  
Clooney seemed to be to engulfed in the story to alert his, let's be honest here, favorite owner, that someone was coming through the door. Bags being placed on the island on the kitchen. "Hey kid, I'm- I knew it!" Derek smirked, leaning against the wall, "I knew you and Clooney were up to no good when he started to miss you more than me when we came home_ _from cases!"  
"Derek, we've been married for 3 years, when are you going to stop calling me kid," Spencer sighed, patting Clooney on his head as he wagged his tail, noticing his other owner, getting off the couch to greet him. Spencer placed the book, open of course, on the coffee table, and went to greet his husband with a kiss. "Mmm, let me think, never." A coy laugh fell from Derek's lips as he kissed Spencer, wrapping strong hands around his hips.  
"You know, "Spencer began, rolling his eyes, as they swayed, almost like a dance, they did this every time the other came home, even if they were just gone for a couple minutes. They didn't want to admit it to anyone, but they didn't know what to do without the other. "If I'm a "kid", per se, you know what that makes you! A perv!" He laughed, kissing Derek's cheek._

_It was Derek's turn to roll his eyes. "Laugh all you want, you are after all, 8 years younger than me. I could be your sugar daddy if I made more than you, stud."  
"Well you know what I do to prevs?" Spencer moaned in his ear, kissing that sweet spot on his neck. Derek let out a soft moan, knowing that Spencer was untangling the knot that Derek tried so hard to keep up at work. That professional alpha male persona ._

_"Hmm what is that ,sexy?"Derek whispered into the others neck leading a trail from the jaw to the collar bone. If things went his way, and they usually did, Spencer would be wearing his scarf the next time they went to work to cover up pretty purple marks. His marks, showing that he belonged to no other than Derek. "Oh, I think you know. I hand cuff them." Spencer smiled against him, the metaphor not going unnoticed by the other man._

_"Well then arrest me officer, I've been a naughty boy," The both of them laughed as Spencer took his hand leading him into the bedroom, after all l, was it truly love if you can't laugh with someone when your about to make sweet, sweet love to them?_

"Derek?" Not noticing that he had completely zoned out, being in a different time, a, if you will, better time, he was startled out of his daze by Emily. He had been staring at his husband, who had been filled in on what was happening by Emily.  
He was starting at his hands, shaking slightly, as if he was afraid of himself. Emily had one of her hands on his shoulder, but as the plane began to land, she opted to fold up the blanket and put it away.  
No body had really noticed Derek's dazed state, well Spencer did, but he took it that he frighten his husband so much, that he didn't want to formally put into words what was going on. It reminded him of what his father did, try to shut himself out of their lives, leave before officially leaving. The thought made Spencer's blood run cold and he knew he shouldn't think it. Derek loved him, and for everything, Derek even sat with his mom!  
"Alright," Hotch said breaking the silence of the moment, "JJ, Emily, I want you to go to the parents homes, most importantly see if they are willing to talk and let you look through the children's rooms,"

As he began to speak, assigning groups and "missions', Derek just stared at his husband. A single tear ran down his face, as Derek reached out to catch it, smiling up at him.  
"Rossi and I will check out this forest, and go to the M.E. see what they have to say about the murder...." he trailed on. His voice, monotone as usual, boring the team half to death.

"Morgan, Reid, Morgan-Reid, " he chuckled to himself, he'd been making that joke ever since they had gotten married.  
"Haha, it was funny the first 1000 times you said it," Emily snorted. Hotch glared at her, but let her comment roll off her back, there was a reason he never paired himself up with her.  
"I want you to talk to the children, with Reid's knowledge in psychology and Derek you're just good with kids, I think you'll be able to get something out of them."  
The team began to collect their belonging, exiting the jet. The couple knew that there would be either a sherif waiting to take them back to the station, or a rented SUV, so they were really in no rush. They were the only ones left on the jet, the silence seeping in and suffocating.  
"I... I'm sorry. Please don't... don't leave me..." Spencer whispered, gasping for air as sobs escaped his lips.  
Derek didn't know what to do, well that was a lie, he didn't know what to do that wasn't grabbing his baby, HIS baby, and holding him. So that's what he intended to do. He pulled Reid up, holding him close to his chest, and held him there. He didn't care if his shoulder got wet, all he cared about was Reid.  
"Honey, Spencer,"Derek almost never called him Spencer unless it was serious, which made the younger tense,"from the first day I saw you. "He smiled into the boys curls, "from the first second that you walked through that door, behind Gideon, and I thought to myself, so we're just letting anyone in here now? I hated myself because I thought I had been attracted to a minor Spencer, a minor!" He laughed, and Spencer let out a choked chuckle, sobs still coming, but now, he was just embracing his husband. "When I found out that you were 20, a weight had been lifted from my shoulders to know that I wasn't like...." he trailed off, not saying his name, "you've always been my Pretty boy, you always will be mine. And you know I don't share. When the you were talking to the Fisher King, I wished it was me instead, because you didn't warn us about that bomb you could've.... and Tobias, I watched you... you should've never went through that. It was my fault I couldn't protect you. That's my job. The anthrax case, I wanted to be in there with you to protect you, I always have. Your my life, your my other half darling. " He sniffled not realizing that he was crying. "I love you no matter what. When I took those vows, they were for worse or for better. I don't care what life throughs at us, as long as I got you babe."  
"That's... that's what I'm saying..." Reid sniffled, taking his left hand from Derek's shoulder and rubbing his eye, trying to look up without bawling again. "My mother went through the same thing... she would go off the medication and then back on it until it didn't work for her. And then.... he couldn't take it anymore. He left. He left us, Derek. He left us because he couldn't handle it. He couldn't handle me." He sobbed again, his head slumping back down into Derek's shoulder. "I won't be me, I'll be lost... you've seen my mom. She's not what she used to be. She... she was a professor! Now look at her!"

"Spencer please, your going to make yourself sick honey." Derek soothed the back of his back. He felt Reid hiccup, his body convulsing.

"What if... what if I can't come back from it. What if I'm lost forever... what if I end up not being the man that you love? What if you leave because things get rough. I don't blame..." Derek shot up.  
"Don't, don't you ever say that. I'm not leaving your side. I don't care how hard things get Spencer. I don't care if we're in and out of institution or I have to go to the end of the earth for you, I will." He held Spencer's head in his hands, "I will quit the job right now to fallow you, to keep you safe. That's what I'm here for is to love you, I know you love me. And that's all that matters to me is that love." Spencer smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I do love you, and you know I would do the same if the roles were reversed."

"I know you would. And you would do it in a heartbeat, because I know how much you love me, I just want you to know how much I love you. We best get going I don't want them waiting." Derek shifting, still holding Spencer.

"I know you love me more than anything," Spencer smiled, and faltered a little bit, "if I didn't, I wouldn't have married you." He kissed his forehead as they began to walk off the place. ————————————————————

_6 months ago It had been 4 months, 11 days, 5 minutes and 19, no 20, no 21, well you get the point, seconds since Spencer had last taken his medication, there had been little to no sign of failing mental health. He was laying on the couch curled up with Derek, watching some sort of sports game. He was beginning to fall asleep, but he knew he needed to shower or else he would feel uncomfortable in his own skin for the rest of the day. It was only 10 am, but it felt so much later. Clooney was curled up under Derek's feet like a foot rest, and it was just domestic._

_"Babe," Spencer sighed, getting up, "you know I hate to leave, but if I don't get up to shower," he shuttered, "I'll end up feeling nasty. Did you know that in total, you have about 1.8 m2 of skin, and more than 1.5 trillion (that's a 1 with 12 zeros) bacteria live on it. In some wet places, tens of millions of microbes live on every square centimetre of skin"_

_Derek chuckled leaning in to kiss him, "I'll be in when the game in over okay honey, I won't be long, they're in the fourth quarter winning by 7. Save some hot water for me!"  
Spencer turned, sticking his tongue out like a youth, and pushed his glasses up. He only ever wore glasses on his day off because it was easier than his contacts, he hated him, but as protocol would have it, he had to wear them for the FBI unless he was allergic to his solution like he was for the second year he worked there. It was too_ _much of a liability for glasses to get broken and leave an agent blind._

_He headed to the bathroom, closing the door behind him as he turned on the light. Stripping slowly, he could feel his skin begin to itch but he shook his head, trying to get his mind off of the annoyance._

_"Hydrogen, helium,lithium," he began to recite the periodic table. His eyes shut as he lost the battle and began to scratch absent minded at his wrist. He stepped into the shower, turning on the water, as hot as it could go. Normally he would take lukewarm showers, but when he got like this, the heat would usually drive the itching away. The water stung him, but only for a second as his body began to grow numb to the water, as he_ ran his fingernails along the risen veins. _He began to get dizzy, the hotness of the shower, making it hard for him to breathe, not to mention that he was hyperventilating. Why was he hyperventilating? The room began to spin around him, as he dug deeper and deeper into his skin.  
"They know..." he muttered, "he knows that she chipped you, that your filthy." He muttered, his delusion in full swing again. The few times that they had seen him like this, Derek, Penelope and Emily, they didn't know who she was, until Derek and Penelope recalled a rather difficult case for all of them, Cathrine Adams. Who had warned, when finding out that Reid's mother was being diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer's, that she would remember him, but he would forget all about_ _her.  
They didn't exactly know the details of his delusions, since he never opened up about them, but they knew it had something to do with her. That made Derek want to kill her, watch the life drain out of her eyes, but he wanted to do that to anyone and everyone that hurt his baby boy._

_The delusion and question was that Cat Adams had somehow injected Spencer with a tracking device. How? His logical mind couldn't figure out, but he had gotten what Derek thought was food poising that night, but when he started to cough blood, they took_ _him in and said that he had acute bronchitis, which was odd since they were in DC at the time, and though Spencer had a weak immune system, he usually only got sick from flying. He was convinced that she had injected him and was tracking him and Morgan, planning her next attack.  
He watched, as the water at his feet turned to red, his body swaying, under him, yet he still dug deeper and deeper into his veins. His curls were plastered to his forehead, as he pushed them out of his eyes with his shoulder as he dug deeper, feeling the ease of the blood oozing from his veins. He has scratched through just enough to start bleeding, but soon enough, he would be able to dig into his skin, snagging it on_ his finger nails and tearing it, just like he _was now. Until he got to his main target: his veins. He was convinced it was somewhere in his circulatory tract.  
He feet gave out under him, having his knees hit hot, tile, scrapping them, but still, blurred vision, well more so then without his glasses, he didn't stop. He heard Clooney barking at the door, hearing him fall with a thud, but still he wasn't going to stop.  
"Clooney what are you barking at?" Derek had asked nothing Clooney at the door. "Spencer, Spencer?" He heard Derek get up off the couch, making his way to the bathroom.  
_Lucky for him, he wouldn't have to meet _the eyes of his husband, as his own rolled up into his head, unconsciousness finally taking over from blood loss and heat, he still bleed, as he feel back into the shower. The water falling over his body, washing the blood away as it began to form, leaving a trail.  
__"Spencer are you-" Derek hesitated and opened the door, he heard the shower, rushing in to find his lover unconscious, bleeding. "Spencer, Spencer wake up."  
It was like a sauna in there, no wonder the boy genius passed out, besides the blood loss, the heat did wonders to the body. He stared, probably longer than he should have when he noticed the rigid marks encompassing his wrist. Has he tried to commit suicide? "Spencer, darling?"  
Derek held him close, not caring that the_ _limp body that he held was wet, he just wanted to hold him. He lifted his baby, thinking the best thing to do was to take him to the bedroom and lay him on the bed, getting him dressed before he texted Penelope. He knew what he had to do, even thought he wished he didn't have to. He began to dress Spencer, which wasn't that hard to do since the man weighted at most 180._

_He pulled out his phone, searching for the contact he wanted which wasn't that hard since he only texted three people, Spencer, when they were away from each other, Penelope and his mother. He used to text Emily before.... **Penelope (baby girl): ASAP, it's time**.  
Derek went to the bathroom again, phone in his hand, waiting_ _for any reply. He searched the cupboards, he knew_ they kept a first aid kit somewhere, _but he had let Spencer place everything, so who knows where he would've put it. He went to the_ _kitchen to where Spencer, when he took his medication, had placed it, and to his surprise, there it was. He grabbed the bandages and the gauze, Neosporin, and, checking to make sure that the man was still unconscious, he grabbed the bottle of rubbing alcohol. He didn't want to know what Spencer had used to rip through his skin like that._

_  
Derek knelt down next to the "sleeping" body, taking in how peaceful he looked. He looked like a princess, like this was a fairly tale, and Derek was there to rescue him and save him with true loves kiss, but sadly, that only happens in stories. Derek worked his way through pouring the alcohol on the wound, flinching for the_ man _who couldn't feel it. It began to bubble, and he shook his head as he began to place Neosporin on the gauze. Placing it gently on the bleeding wrist.  
  
That's when Derek noticed Spencer's left hand, sometimes he forgot that Spencer was left handed. His nails had something underneath them and when he shinned his phone light on it, he could tell it was his own skin. Derek gagged, trying to hold back his own bile. Spencer had did this, to himself, using his own... his own nails! Derek felt a tear run down his cheek as he began to wrap the bandages around Spencer's wrist tightly.  
Clooney had been sitting next to him, who had just began whining since he noticed his owners pain. "It'll be okay, boy. It has to be." Derek_ _said, mostly to himself. To reassure himself that Spencer would be okay.  
He stood, looking around the room, and checked his phone to see if Garcia had answered, and then began pacing. Not even 5 minutes later, Derek heard a soft moan coming from the bed and his head shot up. Watching Spencer begin to wake, rubbing his eyes and scrunch his nose._

_"Did.. did I get it?" He mumbled. It sounded strained, but Derek guessed that was from him just regaining consciousness._

_"Did you get what_ _sweetness?" Derek asked, sitting on the bed, taking Spencer's unhurt hand, trying not to think of the skin underneath those nails. The nails that Garcia had painted not even a week ago that were already chipping.  
"The... she... she put..." his voice was strained as he was beginning to cry. Derek took him in his arms and he started to shake his head. "She put it in me Derek. She want to find me. To find us." He muttered, almost immediately, taking Derek's shirt in his hands and holding him there as Derek ran his hand up and down his back.  
There was a knock on the door, knowing who it was, Derek called for her to come in. She, in all of her brightne_ss, _came in, a tuba-ware container filled with cookies in her hands. She was wearing a bright green sweatshirt with pink hearts on the left side in the shape of a heart, and yellow leggings.  
"I heard someone wasn't feeling well!" She chirped, and then, her attitude died down seeing the men that she loved crying in each other. "Oh no, no, no, no, crying is not allowed in my presence." Garcia chocked, tears welling in her eyes, she hated to see people cry. "I brought cookies!"_

_She held out the tub that she was holding. Derek had lifted his head, smiling at her. Spencer had, almost successfully untangled himself from Derek, his eyes blood stained, as he rubbed them, sniffling. Derek took the_ _tub, as Garcia looked for tissues, which she pulled out of her backpack, which she carried since she hated purses, and handed them to Spencer.  
"I... I don't deserve your love and affection," Spencer began, blowing his nose into the tissue. "She'll find all of you, like she did the first time, and this time, it's through me, and I can't even get it out. I'm not strong enough!" Garcia looked at Derek who motioned to his arm, and somewhere between the silence, she understood that Reid had did that to himself.  
"You know sweetie, food always makes me feel better," she cooed, putting a hand on his arm, but he flinched, hissing as if it hurt him. This had surprised her, since he had never been this distant with her before._

_"Please... just go. Both of you. I don't want to bother anyone right now. I don't want anyone to see me like this." His voice cracked and something in his voice changed, he sounded weaker, like a wild animal that had been hurt.  
When they had looked back on it later, they should've known that this would've happened, the tell tale signs were there, but they were blinded by unconditional love for the boy. Derek hand out his hand on his husbands, and like he had seen his mother do to him, Spencer retreated, his pupils had contracted and h_e _looked wild. Before Derek knew what hit him, pun not intended, Spencer had taken his hand back, and smacked Derek across the face.  
Derek was taken a back for a second, but never did he get angry at Spencer. He knew this was normal for him to react like this. Garcia just stared, eyes welling up.  
"He... he doesn't..." she whispered, stating the obvious. Derek nodded, standing up and hugging her. He didn't know how long this would last or if it would last forever, but he swore that if Spencer didn't remember it, he would never let him find out about it.  
"Don't... don't tell him." He said, walking out of the room, rubbing his face. For a man of his size, he had hit fairly hard, and Derek was glad to know that all those self defense classes were paying off.  
_

_After 20_ _minutes of awkwardness, Spencer finally began to come around. Crying softly as Derek held him in his hands. He has no idea how he was going to get Spencer into the car, to take him to the institution, but he had to come up with something and quick. Spencer was still with him, just not his boy genius, he was still muttering about his delusions, but he knew who they were.  
"Hey, hey, stop crying honey. It'll be okay, you know what sounds good. Do you wanna go to the library?" She asked, smilin_g and _winking at Derek, who had to admit was a bright idea that he probably wouldn't have thought of. He nodded, he had overdue books anyway.  
"Let... let me get my books," he stammered, looking around frantically for the latest copies for who knows what that he was reading.  
When he found them, he grabbed his satchel, not even nothing to change out of the flannel pajama pants that he was on or the oversized t-shirt that Derek had given him.  
"I need to get Professor Xolotl more food by the way," Spencer sighed, looking longingly at the den as he began to tie his converse.  
__Derek rolled his eyes, it wasn't that he didn't love Spencer, no he loved that man with all his heart, it was_ _Professor Xolotl, or whatever he called it. It was his pet axolotl that he had adopted a little after Tobias's attack. It kept him not as lonely, but damn did that thing freak Derek out. It was always looking at him when Spencer was off teaching, so, Derek has came up with a solution that they kept the damn thing, since it keeps Spencer happy, if and only if, Spencer keeps it in the den and he doesn't have to look at it.  
Spencer loves to bring up the first time that Derek had saw Professor Xolotl, and had flipped his shit, thinking that Spencer had kidnapped some sort of alien, keeping it against its will. "I knew you from Area 51!" He shrieked, cowering at the sight of the odd creature.  
_

_It always surprised Spencer how he was scared of such a_ _harmless baby, but then he remembered he was terrified of Clooney at first, but Clooney had warmed up to him.  
Clooney loved Professor Xotolt, even though he lived in another world, Clooney would sit and watch him.  
"Yes honey, we can get him food," Derek smiled, grabbing Spencer by the arm as they walked down the stairs. Garcia smiled, loving how domestic they always looked. She remembered when it was hard for the to form a sentence around each other, now Spencer was wearing Derek's shirt and gold bands wrapped around their fingers._

_Derek got into the drivers seat, although wanting to be in the back with Spencer, he didn't trust Garica to drive. I mean really, did she even have a licen_ se. _Speaking of which how did she get there?  
_

_Garcia sat in the back, letting Spencer lay his head on her lap, as his eyes drifted closed. His hand was wrapped around Derek's as he began to back up out of the house.  
They arrived at the institution, it was a small facility, outside of the city, so that on the rare occasion anybody from headquarters might walk in, they were covered. Derek, parking, told Penelope to wake him up._

_"This... this isn't the library." Spencer yawned, stretching to show that his bandages had bleed through. "This is.. NO." He began screaming, yelling frantically. Which, I don't know about you, but having Spencer Reid, the usually level headed genius, begin to yell in a truck next to you, would give you a panic attack.  
"Sweetie, calm down. It's-" He turned to the voice, who was Penelope._

_"For what? My own good? My own fucking good? Yeah, so they can drug me up again so I cant think so I can't protect myself. So she can find you... so she can find you and hurt you?" His raised voice had lowered, cracking. He was digging his palm into the side of his head and hitting it. Derek tried to grab it, but that only caused Spencer to do it harder. "No, no, no! I can't do it. I can't go back to the meds. I have to think straight. I have to remember. I have to know what she did to me. I have to stop it." He was hitting his head harder now.  
"Alright, alright,baby. Can we take a walk? I know you like the flowers around here, and I would love to hear about them."  
"Perennials, Columbine (Aquilegia), Blue Violets (Viola Sororia), Goldenrod (Solidago), Sage (Salvia), Beebalm (Monarda), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea), Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) ,Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Viburnums." Spencer started to mumble, naming off the native plants of DC, his hands shaking as he opened the door. "I'll be right out sweetie, I have to talk to Baby Girl real quick." Derek called ask Spencer continued.  
"You get him signed in, if you have any problems tell them to find me, I'll be over by the garden." He pointed to a sitting area. She nodded getting out of the car.  
"Spencer, come talk with me, as we walk I wanna hear all about it," Derek said, taking his hand. _

_Garcia had rushed into the automatic doors, looking for the registration_ _desk. She usually wasn't the one doing this. Usually, she was the one distracting Reid, or he was coherent enough to know that this is what he needed. This usually wasn't a two man job, she thought as she walked up to the young lady.  
"Hello, how many I help you? Visiting hours are 4-6 today, and the drop off box for the letters are over there." She said, looking up, as if she was reading from a script.  
"Actually, I was wondering about registering a patient." She sighed, regretting how miserable she sounded. She could be so strong behind her computer with all of her stuffies and figurines around her, but in real life, she couldn't help anything, but feel the emotions surrounding her. _

_"Alright, fill this out, and," the woman_ _looked around,"where is the patient?" She asked.  
"Oh," she chuckled to herself, "he's with his husband outside, he thought it best if I went in. He's... well, I guess you'll figure it out. Can I fill this out outside?" She asked. The woman nodded, saying that orderlies would be out in a little bit to get him, asking for a description.  
_

_Garcia made her way to the garden, were Reid sat, talking to a bird about how migration patterns were important and humans should follow them. "Crazy equals genius," she sighed, beginning to fill out the mountain of paper work.  
"You could say that again." Derek sighed, watching Spencer talk away to the bird. Crying to himself. He didn't know how long this was going to be, and he didn't want to be alone again. But this is what he had to do, and he_ knew it was best. He tousled the boys _hair, and he laughed, a genuine laugh, throwing his head back._

_"I love you Derek." He smiled. And Derek almost sobbed. For the first time since the shower he seemed like himself.  
"I love you to Pretty Boy." That bliss was short lived at the orderlies appearance. Dressed in blue scubs with white shoes.  
"Dr. Spencer Reid?" The taller one asked, reaching a hand out. Spencer looked up at Derek.   
“Who-who's that? How do you know my name. I told you she was tracking me! Tracking us. Derek, Penelope run." He cried, getting up about to fight, but Derek put a hand on his back and chocked.  
"These nice people are going to take care of you Spencer, they're going to make you better." Spencer looked at him and began to cry._ _He looked at the taller orderly and swing, but with lack of coordination, left him falling into the man's arms instead as he trashed out of them._  
"I hate you Derek Morgan! I hate you! I hate both of you! How fucking dare you trick me like this!" He lashed out, kicked and screaming, foam coming out of his mouth as he spit. Derek looked away as he cried.  
"I love you to Pretty Boy. I love you!" He called, crying, knowing that that's all that mattered.


	6. Cardinals

As expected, a SUV was waiting for them, it's windows tinted and it looked like they were the only ones still here, which meant there little talk took a little longer than they would have liked. Derek was holding both Spencer's and his go-bags, he never let Spencer carry things if he could help it, let's call it the gentleman in him, but really he just wanted to spoil the younger man. 

As the pair walked closer, step in step, Spencer's arm was wrapped around Derek, which many people would find endearing but Derek knew it was to steady himself in the new surroundings. The older man risked a glance at the younger, he thought he was as beautiful as a restful nights sleep, and just as rare, with his floppy mop like wisps that his long ivory fingers were always playing with, eyes were as deep as honey. He looked like he was sculpted by the gods, or at least whatever deity there was out there, because you had to believe something amazing was out there to create this. 

"...SSA Derek Morgan-Reid," His husband said, arm squeezing against his waist. His breath was still floating in the air from the cold temperature. Shit, not this again, what had he missed? Was he drooling.. again? When his eyes focused, he found himself face to face with a LEO, leaning against the hood of the SUV, a lit cigarette hanging out on his lips. His arms were crossed, as he sniffed, his mustache moving slightly. 

"Thank God, I thought I was goin' have to send in the dogs to look for you two!" The man joked, his head lauded up as he laughed, "I'm Sherriff Daniel Hanes, but everyone just calls me Dan," his draw was thick with age. A firm hand was shoved out, to handshake, his hands shook slightly, but other than that, he didn't seem to be bother by the two men. 

Derek took his hand, "I hope you don't mind, Dr. Reid doesn't do the whole hand shake thing,". He shook it firmly, a good shake. The man smiled back, and gave a wave to Spencer, who was very appreciative of it. 

"Did you know how many bacteria are spread by one hand shake, its actually safer to kiss. Let me ask you this, did you know that smoking takes six minutes off of your life?" Spencer spoke up, as Dan smiled at him.

"Well, no son I didn't but if I was looking for a reason to stop I found one. I want to live enough to watch my grandkids finally take over the world, you know how the youth is know a days. Speaking of youth, have you seen what these kids are dressing in now-a-days. My lord!" He chuckled, flicking the end of his cigarette so the ashes would fall on the ground, turning the snow to ash. Smoke billowed out of the cancer stick, as the man rested his hand to his side, the object going limp. 

"I mean I get it's a new generation and all, but they're running around without jackets! And what is up with these red scarves?" 

" That's exactly what were here to figure out sir, have any of you spoken with the children? " Derek questioned, wondering why they hadn't left to go to the station yet. He watched as Spencer began to squirm, picking at his cuticles and watching a cardinal fly above them and land somewhere off to the right of the. " The Northern Cardinal's name dates back to the time of the United States founding colonists, stemming from the similarity of the males' vibrant red plumage to the red biretta and vestments of distinguishable Catholic cardinals." The genius mumbled to himself. Ah, yes, that bastard Gideon, Derek thought as he tried to listen to whatever Dan was saying but it didn't matter to him, all that mattered was Spencer. 

"Cardinals?" Dan asked, raising up from his spot on the SUV and heading to the drivers side door. "Yeah we have them all year round. Little buggers love to stick around and not migrate." 

Spencer made his way in the back seat, he always like to sit in the back when there was a stranger, it was easier to observe behavior like that, well and he didn't much like small talk. He wasn't epically in the mood today, with the prior events, he really just wanted this case over so he could figure out what was happening, but of course, that was probably too much to ask for and well selfish. His mind began to wonder, trying to fill in the blanks that he missed that day when it was interrupted by a voice outside of the car. 

"You sure your little buddy okay? He seems a little on edge. Is there anything we can do to help?" Dan asked, putting his arm on Derek's shoulder. Derek flinched a little, not accustomed to the touchiness, but he didn't shake it off, which made Spencer just a tad bit jealous when he was watching. No, not jealous, he had a ring on his finger that showed that they were together. It was protectiveness, possessiveness. He noticed when his husband began to play with the ring on his finger, something he only did when he was nervous. Why would he be nervous, well besides that Spencer couldn't remember half the day, but it would come back, it had to. 

"Yeah, the kids fine. He's been under a lot of stress lately. Child cases also hit 'em really hard, y'know? They hit everyone really hard. He's the best we've got though, trust me. I owe that man my life, " he said raising his hand to show his ring. "in more ways than one. He really is the best we got though. Kids only 25 and he's already a doctor, hell, he has three doctorates and two bachelors. He's working on his fourth doctorate right now. I'm 33 and all I have to show is a honors degree in law and an expertise in explosives, I know, I know we make a weird couple." Derek chuckled thinking about it. How many times they got weird glances just going grocery shopping or eating out, but he wouldn't trade it for 500 years the other way. "You know, just between you and me, I think I admire the kid for being able to talk down an armed unsub without drawing his weapon, I would never tell him that, hell I'd never hear the end of it, but I know I couldn't do it if I was in his place. He's just so amazing, plus he knows magic! He's been through so much, and even though my retirements up before his, I've been thinking about asking him to settle down and just go into teaching. The kid loves to teach, you'll see it when he rambles, oh god can the kid ramble, but it's the cutest thing." 

Spencer found himself blushing listening to what they were talking about. Of course he knew that Derek loved him, he married the man for a reason, but he never knew just how much. The thought of him doting about him to a random stranger made Spencer smile like a maniac, and really Derek made him a maniac, if it wasn't for Derek, Spencer wouldn't be half as bold as he is today. He tried to hide his expression as the doors opened as he was quickly looking out the side window, trying to play it off like he didn't hear anything.


End file.
